Child causes residential fire in Beloit

The Beloit Fire Department responds to the third fire in less than nine months that was caused by a child playing with fire.

Deputy Chief Joe Murray says the department was called to a fire at a duplex at 556 Highland Avenue around 10:30 Thursday morning. Although everyone made it out safely, the family of five is displaced, and the fire caused about $30,000 in damage.

Investigators says the cause of the fire was a candle left burning on a bed by a child.

Last summer, the department responded to two fires within less than a month of each other that were caused by children playing with matches.